FEFO stands for First Expiry First Out. When is FEFO applied in stock management?

• A. FEFO stands for First Entry First Out; used for issue documentation.
• B. FEFO stands for Free Expired For Older; used for disposing.
• C. FEFO stands for First Expiry First Out; applied to medicines with expiry dates to minimize expiring stock.
• D. FEFO stands for Fast Entry Fast Out; used for rapid stock turnover.

Answer: (C)

FEFO means First Expiry First Out. The idea is to issue medicines starting with the batch that has the earliest expiry date. This minimizes wastage and protects patients by reducing the chance that a drug expires on the shelf. In practice, you track expiry dates and batch numbers, arrange stock so items nearing expiry are used first, and pick accordingly to ensure the oldest expiry dates are consumed first, even if that batch was received later. This focus on expiry dates differentiates FEFO from methods that prioritize arrival date or simple disposal rules, keeping stock from becoming expired and wasted.